1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to a data processing device that has a display device disposed at the front of the main unit housing the host device and can be placed either vertically or horizontally for use, and relates more particularly to a data processing device that enables adjusting the tilt angle of the display device whether the data processing device is placed in the vertical or horizontal position.
2. Description of Related Art
Data processing devices such as personal computers, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and electronic cash registers are increasingly equipped with large flat panel display devices such as LCD's and plasma displays. More particularly, a data processing device having the display device disposed to the main unit in which the host device is housed as taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2000-227763 renders the display device at the front of the main unit so that the operator can view the display while operating the data processing device, and has a tilt mechanism that enables the operator to adjust the angle of the display device so that the display is easier to read.
Furthermore, the footprint and height of the data processing device generally differ according to whether the data processing device is installed in the vertical or horizontal orientation, and the data processing device can preferably be installed in either the vertical or horizontal orientation according to the available installation space. In restaurant and fashion boutiques, for example, design considerations and the desire to use space efficiently make the ability to install the data processing device either vertically or horizontally especially desirable. Switching between vertical and horizontal orientations also changes the position of the operating keys and display device 90 degrees and thus degrades operability and display readability. As a result, Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2002-134932 teaches a means of rotating the operating unit at least 90 degrees according to whether the electronic device is used vertically or horizontally, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2002-74921 teaches a means of rotating the display unit according to the vertical or horizontal orientation of the electronic device.
In addition to the operator's display, point-of-sale (“POS”) terminals and electronic cash registers, for example, also typically have a customer display for displaying the purchased products and prices for the customer to see. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H9-245252, for example, the customer display is commonly disposed at the top rear portion of the POS terminal so that the customer display can pivot or swing to face the customer. A problem with this customer display, however, is that repeatedly swinging the customer display can cause the signal cable to become twisted and eventually fail. Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2000-10495 addresses this problem by connecting the cable that connects to the customer display to a rotatable conductive sliding device that prevents the cable from becoming twisted and thus failing.
Recent POS terminals and electronic cash registers increasingly tend to use a large front display device as the customer display while the size of the main unit has become smaller in order to reduce the footprint. As a result, the display device may be larger than the main unit. Furthermore, rotating a large display device according to the vertical or horizontal orientation of the electronic device is difficult or requires a complicated mechanism with the technology taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2002-134932 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2002-74921. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2000-227763 does not teach a tilt mechanism that anticipates use in either a vertical or horizontal orientation, and provides no consideration for adjusting the angle of the display device according to the vertical or horizontal orientation.
Furthermore, the customer display taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H9-245252 simply rotates on a vertical support column, and where the customer display can be installed is thus limited. As the integration of data processing devices increases, device size thus decreases, and the size of the operator display increases, less room is available for locating the customer display and printer. Where the customer display can be installed is particularly limited with a data processing device that can be installed vertically or horizontally, and a conventional customer display installed on a vertical pole in particular significantly limits the freedom of design in the data processing device. While the customer display can be freely pivoted by using a rotatable conductive sliding device as taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. 2000-10495, this conductive sliding device increases device cost and the likelihood of poor electrical contact and signal noise.
The present invention is directed to solving these problems of the prior art, and an object of the invention is to provide a data processing device having a relatively large display device disposed at the front of the data processing device so that the data processing device can be used in either a vertical or a horizontal orientation without changing display control while using the same display device in both vertical and horizontal installations.
A further object of the invention is to provide a data processing device that can use the same display device in both vertical and horizontal orientations and enables adjusting the tilt angle of the display in either orientation.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide a data processing device to which peripheral devices rendering additional functionality, such as input functions, can be connected to the side of the display device, and the data processing device can be installed vertically or horizontally without changing where the peripheral device is connected.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a data processing device having a customer display device that improves the freedom of design related to the connection of the customer display device whether the data processing device is installed vertically or horizontally.